1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus that displays images in parallel on a display unit having a touch panel function and another display unit, a control method therefor, and a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for implementing the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there have been known electronic apparatuses capable of displaying images in parallel on a display unit having a touch panel function and another display unit. For example, as image pickup apparatuses such as digital video cameras which are electronic apparatuses, there have been known those which have an electronic viewfinder (EVF) and a vari-angle display unit rotating in the directions of two axes, i.e. an opening-closing direction and a vertical direction relative to an apparatus main body. Further, there has also been known the technique that this vari-angle display unit is configured as a touch panel that can be touched by a user with a finger to operate a camera so that the number of operation buttons can be reduced to downsize the main body of the camera.
There has also been proposed the technique that in a camera having the vari-angle touch panel as described above, shooting modes of the camera are switched when the touch panel faces ahead of the camera (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H11-352389).
In the camera having the vari-angle touch panel, not only images taken by the camera but also information attracting some interest of a person who is a subject can be displayed on the touch panel facing ahead. Thus, user's eyes can be turned to the camera without giving any instructions.
Moreover, operational instructions can be given to a person who is as a subject by displaying not only images but also characters on the touch panel. This can be used to prevent voice instructions from being recorded when voices are recorded as in the case of moving image recording.
Further, in so-called “self shooting” in which a user turns a lens toward himself/herself and takes a picture, the user inverts the touch panel vertically while keeping it open so as to turns the image taking direction of the camera to the user. At this time, the user can see the touch panel and perform touching operations, he/she can take a picture while grasping of shooting conditions such as the angle of view at which an image is taken.
However, particularly in video cameras, when the touch panel is open, the function of accepting touch operations (touch panel function) is always enabled (ON) under normal conditions. Thus, for example, when shooting is performed with the touch panel facing ahead of the camera, the touch panel may be accidentally touched. In particular, when a child or an animal as a subject lies in front of the camera, they may come too close to the camera and touch the touch panel, and this may be recognized as an unintended touch operation and cause an erroneous operation.
Also, when the touch panel is moved in the closing direction and retracted at a closed position where it is closely attached to the apparatus main body, the touch panel can be retracted in such a manner that its display surface faces outward of the apparatus main body with the touch panel turned upside down. In this case as well, the touch panel function is still enabled, the user may touch the touch panel by mistake, and this may cause an unintended erroneous operation.
Thus, depending on combinations of the positions of the vari-angle touch panel rotating in the directions of the two axes, touch inputs unintended by a user may be accepted, and this may cause erroneous settings and operations.